Problems

Age
Difficulty
Found: 1912

Let \(a, b\) be positive integers and \((a, b) = 1\). Prove that the quantity cannot be a real number except in the following cases \((a, b) = (1, 1)\), \((1,3)\), \((3,1)\).

Let \(f (x)\) be a polynomial of degree \(n\) with roots \(\alpha_1, \dots , \alpha_n\). We define the polygon \(M\) as the convex hull of the points \(\alpha_1, \dots , \alpha_n\) on the complex plane. Prove that the roots of the derivative of this polynomial lie inside the polygon \(M\).

For what values of \(n\) does the polynomial \((x+1)^n - x^n - 1\) divide by:

a) \(x^2 + x + 1\); b) \((x^2 + x + 1)^2\); c) \((x^2 + x + 1)^3\)?

a) Using geometric considerations, prove that the base and the side of an isosceles triangle with an angle of \(36^{\circ}\) at the vertex are incommensurable.

b) Invent a geometric proof of the irrationality of \(\sqrt{2}\).

Old calculator I.

a) Suppose that we want to find \(\sqrt[3]{x}\) (\(x> 0\)) on a calculator that can find \(\sqrt{x}\) in addition to four ordinary arithmetic operations. Consider the following algorithm. A sequence of numbers \(\{y_n\}\) is constructed, in which \(y_0\) is an arbitrary positive number, for example, \(y_0 = \sqrt{\sqrt{x}}\), and the remaining elements are defined by \(y_{n + 1} = \sqrt{\sqrt{x y_n}}\) (\(n \geq 0\)).

Prove that \(\lim\limits_{n\to\infty} y_n = \sqrt[3]{x}\).

b) Construct a similar algorithm to calculate the fifth root.

An iterative polyline serves as a geometric interpretation of the iteration process. To construct it, on the \(Oxy\) plane, the graph of the function \(f (x)\) is drawn and the bisector of the coordinate angle is drawn, as is the straight line \(y = x\). Then on the graph of the function the points \[A_0 (x_0, f (x_0)), A_1 (x_1, f (x_1)), \dots, A_n (x_n, f (x_n)), \dots\] are noted and on the bisector of the coordinate angle – the points \[B_0 (x_0, x_0), B_1 (x_1, x_1), \dots , B_n (x_n, x_n), \dots.\] The polygonal line \(B_0A_0B_1A_1 \dots B_nA_n \dots\) is called iterative.

Construct an iterative polyline from the following information:

a) \(f (x) = 1 + x/2\), \(x_0 = 0\), \(x_0 = 8\);

b) \(f (x) = 1/x\), \(x_0 = 2\);

c) \(f (x) = 2x - 1\), \(x_0 = 0\), \(x_0 = 1{,}125\);

d) \(f (x) = - 3x/2 + 6\), \(x_0 = 5/2\);

e) \(f (x) = x^2 + 3x - 3\), \(x_0 = 1\), \(x_0 = 0{,}99\), \(x_0 = 1{,}01\);

f) \(f (x) = \sqrt{1 + x}\), \(x_0 = 0\), \(x_0 = 8\);

g) \(f (x) = x^3/3 - 5x^2/x + 25x/6 + 3\), \(x_0 = 3\).

The sequence of numbers \(a_n\) is given by the conditions \(a_1 = 1\), \(a_{n + 1} = a_n + 1/a^2_n\) (\(n \geq 1\)).

Is it true that this sequence is limited?

Prove that for a monotonically increasing function \(f (x)\) the equations \(x = f (f (x))\) and \(x = f (x)\) are equivalent.

The sequence of numbers \(a_1, a_2, a_3, \dots\) is given by the following conditions \(a_1 = 1\), \(a_{n + 1} = a_n + \frac {1} {a_n^2}\) (\(n \geq 0\)).

Prove that

a) this sequence is unbounded;

b) \(a_{9000} > 30\);

c) find the limit \(\lim \limits_ {n \to \infty} \frac {a_n} {\sqrt [3] n}\).